In the past athletic gloves for different sports such as bowling, golf and the like have been offered, but none, to applicants' knowledge, has been particularly designed for use of joggers.
The present invention provides a jogging glove that can have two weights on it, one on the back of the hand and one at the palm side of the hand. Both of the weights are disposed to permit maximum flexing of the wrist and fingers into the positions they normally assume in jogging. The back of the hand weight may be permanently attached and the inside or palm weight readily changeable. By this means, a certain minimum weight may be provided on the glove with the opportunity to change the total amount of weight without difficulty.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a weight assembly or unit that can be permanently attached to a glove with a minimum of problems. To this end the weight unit comprises a weight member encompassed and bound in a flanged cover, the flange being penetratable by stitching needles so that the weight unit can be attached to the glove by the flange with the main part of the unit projecting through a hole in the glove. By this arrangement the weight itself is covered, giving a neat appearance. Yet the weight does not misshape the glove, when it is mounted thereon, or require a bulging pocket attached to the outside of the glove. The weight is located in the middle of the metalcarpal area, so that it does not interfere with the normal flexing of the wearer's wrist.
On the palm weight, which represents a removable type of weight, it is an object to have a non-circular pocket with a snap fastener or the like into which a weight can be inserted. It is also an object to have the weight non-circular so that it will not twist when in position in the pocket, but also to have rounded corners on it so that it can be inserted and removed more readily. In the preferred form, it is elongated in shape with rounded ends. It is an object to have this weight adjacent the knuckle joints so that it has minimal interference with the finger positions of the jogger. Other objects and advantages will appear from the description to follow.
While prior art such as Shirey U.S. Pat. No. 3,203,006 shows a weight in a pocket on the palm of the glove, and the Wester U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,979 shows a weight in a pocket on the back of the glove, in neither of these is the weight formed into a unit with the plastic cover so that it can be stitched to the glove by stitching around the marginal flange of the plastic to which the weight is permanently adhered. Furthermore, there is no provision in these patents or others known to the applicants wherein the weight is projected through an opening in the glove.
Prior art such as Sherrick Pat. No. 2,187,987 and the Campbell U.S. Pat. No. 3,124,806 shows pockets with snap fasteners. However, these pockets and weights are not arranged across the palm of the hand in the manner shown in the present disclosure. Wester U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,979 shows two weights, neither removable, and not disposed to permit flexing of the wrist and fingers as required by a jogger.